Patna, Feb. 20: The Congress will stage statewide protests on February 21 against a Rajasthan BJP MLA's "objectionable comments" on Rahul Gandhi, alleged attempts by the Centre to quell freedom of expression and rising intolerance and inflation.

"We have decided to hold statewide protests against the below-the-belt attack on our leader Rahul," Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Ashok Choudhary told journalists at the state Congress headquarters in Sadaquat Ashram.

He was referring to Kailash Chaudhary, the MLA from Baytoo in Rajasthan's Barmer district, who said Rahul was a traitor and should be shot for siding with the JNU students.

"Rahul belongs to a lineage of blue-blood Congressmen known for their patriotism and for sacrificing their lives for the nation," Ashok said. "The names of Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and others could be counted in this."

The Congress is also going to protest against "the way the BJP and RSS are fanning intolerance to divert attention from basic issues, efforts to curb freedom of expression in the country and the central government's failure to contain inflation".

The BPCC chief hit out at the Narendra Modi government, saying it had completely failed on the economic front and was now indulging in divisive acts to deflect the people's attention. The main reasons for this, he said, were the upcoming Assembly elections in Bengal, Assam and other states.

As a precursor to the statewide protests, the Congress will burn an effigy of the central government in Patna. The Congress leader, who is also education minister in the Grand Alliance government, said the BJP had failed to take the entire country along and "is now challenging the nation's unity and integrity".

Ashok also demanded that the Centre provide proof against arrested Jawaharlal Nehru University students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar. Kanhaiya was arrested for taking part in a march where anti-India slogans were raised. Ashok said expressing one's views could not be termed "sedition".

He also hit out at Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani for asking all central universities to hoist the national flag, saying this amounted to "pseudo-nationalism".

"Anybody in the country can hoist the Tricolour anywhere. So what is the point behind the order," Ashok asked.

He also said the Congress would counter the BJP's divisive aspirations with all its might.